German Utility Model 86 24 193 describes a tool carrier for a punching or stamping press, hereinafter referred to as a punch or as a stamping machine, which has a tool carrier upper part formed with a downwardly open recess, a plurality of punch tool holders receivable in the recess and respective punch tools movable in an up-and-down manner in the holders.
Activating or actuating elements are provided for the tools and positioning piston-and-cylinder arrangements are provided for locating the actuating elements in position so that, upon operation of the press, the actuating elements will enable the driving the tools in the working direction, i.e. in the up and down direction.
Generally speaking, the tool holders can be inserted into the tool carrier upper part and the tool carrier upper part can have guides for the actuating element while the positioning piston-and-cylinder devices are affixed to the tool carrier upper part.
The term "tool holder" generally refers to a basically rectangular body which is provided with means for fixing it in the tool carrier upper part or, stated otherwise, as formations matching that of the tool carrier upper part for interfitting of the two. Such formations can include, for example, registering grooves of the tool holder and the tool carrier upper part into which a bar or rod can be fitted.
In the tool carrier of German Utility Model 86 24 193, the positioning cylinder devices are disposed on only one side of the tool carrier upper part. These devices move the actuating elements across the total width of the carrier and, of course, across the tool holders which are arrayed in the direction of the positioning piston displacement.
The tool holders are each associated with a positioning cylinder arrangement and each can receive only a single tool.
This requires that the set-up of the tools be effected in consideration of the punching force and greatly limits the geometry or area of the punching action. Stated otherwise, large-diameter punches cannot be accommodated and the shapes which may be punched are limited by the geometry of the holders.
The versatility of the system is poor since, for the punching or stamping of large-area articles, one must use larger presses and, conversely, it is not possible within the limits of the tool carrier and the conventional tool-holder design to produce a multiplicity of different types, sizes or shapes of punched articles with the desired degree of freedom of choice.